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The Christian Democrats are pushing to make Good Friday a state holiday in the Czech Republic, as it is in several European states. Previous attempts to give workers a day off on the religious holiday have failed. However, a senior party figure says the Christian Democrats are now hopeful of finding support for the revival of a tradition ended by the Communists.

Some of the country’s most popular castles and chateaux opened their doors to the public this weekend, marking the start of the tourist season. Among them are Karlšejn, Křivoklát and Konopište, which annually attract over half a million visitors. Prague Castle also opened its doors to visitors this weekend. The country’s other historical attractions are due to open the season on April 1st or the long Easter weekend with price cuts and special events for visitors.

Meteorologists say that while daily temperatures will be cooler than average in the Czech Republic in the coming days, the upcoming Easter holidays will be fairly warm - around 17 degrees Celsius with little chance of rain. Increased rainfall will come only after the first week of April, forecasters say.

Five people have died in car accidents on Czech roads since Friday, the second lowest number of casualties in 15 years. Four victims died on Friday, two of them in a single crash near Teplice. On Monday, several serious accidents occurred; five people were injured after a car crashed into a bus near Hodonín, in south Moravia. The lowest number of road casualties in the last 15 years was recorded in 2003 when three people died over the Easter weekend.

Traditional folk customs are observed on Easter Monday, a public holiday in the Czech Republic. In a popular custom known as pomlázka, male carollers whip women and girls get with braided willow sticks decorated with ribbons. In return, they give men painted eggs. The custom has pre-Christian roots in pagan fertility rites. Legend has it that women that go whipped on Easter Monday will remain healthy and fertile for the entire year.

In the Czech Republic, celebrations of the moveable holiday of Easter combine Christian traditions and age-old pagan customs. Music plays an important part in the celebrations, spanning from folk chants to religious oratorios. In this year’s Easter Monday special we will give you a taste of Czech Easter music, from carols to cantatas.

The A line of Prague metro has been closed for maintenance work for the duration of the Easter holidays. The entire line closed on Friday afternoon, and is set to reopen on Tuesday, April 22nd. Prague’s transport authority advise travellers to use the XA tram line instead, or other tram and bus lines. English-speaking staffers at metro stations are providing information about alternative routes, a spokesman for the transport firm said.

Traffic police are expected to be out in force for the Easter weekend when thousands of people leave the big cities for the long Easter break. According to a spokesman for the traffic police officers plan to focus particularly on speeding, drink-driving and soft drugs. Drivers should expect heavy traffic especially on the D1 highway from Prague to Brno which is undergoing reconstruction with traffic along certain stretches restricted to one lane.

The Prague metro management has announced that it plans to close the A line of the Prague metro for extensive maintenance work over the Easter holidays. The entire stretch of the A-line will be closed from 5.30 pm Friday, April 18, until midnight Monday, April 21. Replacement trams and busses will be in operation over the long weekend.

Many Czechs, especially in Moravia, practice traditional customs on Easter Monday, a public holiday in the Czech Republic. One of the most popular customs includes the whipping of girls and women with special whips made of willow branches; this, some believe, bestows beauty and health on them for the next year. In return, the men receive coloured eggs.